Connecticut western news., 1887-03-02
A COSTLY BONNET.

What has happeneda Can be of use2"
 He was strolling past Candytuft Cot tage, as he often did. It was habit into which he had fallea of late, almost without any definite knowledge or in- tention of his own, and if any one had told him that .idee Gray's fair, girlish face had anything to do with it, he would doubtless have been much sur prised.
 "Oh, it's only our Fay, in one of her tempests," said Louise, calmly smooth ing back the wind -ruff1ed gold of her curls. "She's as wild as the March wind itself"
 Louise Gray was like tall, white lily, so serene, so graceful and so beautiful. Her soft locks lay against her brow likes waves of sun nshine, her eyes were blue and clear beneath their curved !ashcs, her crimson lips looked as if they never spoke aught but the sweetest of words.
 Mir. Creswick looked at her as an artist might survey some peerless work of art; but his heart never warmed toward her any moro than if she were her own type in a frozen marble.
 It was Zaidee that he liked best wild, impctuous ,idee, with the velvet hazel eyes, and the shifting roses in her checks and the bright, disordered hair-Zaidee, who was always being checked for something, and who was treated more like child than woman, although she had passed the Rubicon of her eighteenth birthday.
 "Oh" said Mir. Creswick.
 Nor did he think the less of Fay to discover that she was human, like the rest of womankind, and no passionless clay goddess.
 "Won't you come in, said Louise," with carressing cordiality of manner.
 'Not today" said Mir. Creswick.
 And he walked meditatively past the lilac-hedged fence, with his eyes cast downward as if he were counting the yellow dandelions that starred the grassy bank.
 Louise bit her lip.
 'Tiresome fellow p she said to her self. "I do wonder if he ever means te come to the point But he must mean something, or he wouldn't keep coming here. And he is rich and handsome, and mamma says that if mean to settle we'll, mustn't wait till am old an6 faded, like Miss Patience Perrlfeld."
 So Louise entered the garden-gate settling the ribbon bows on her dress il leisurely sort of way, and following the tones of high, excited voice, sh' strolled along the wide, cool hall to th, shrubberies at the back of the house.
 'Oh, dear," said she, with depre. eating motion of her hand, "what is i now do wish, Zaidee, you wouldn' treat us to so many of these scenes It too trying to the nerves r | Zudee stood in the midst of tn dower-beds, relentlessly tramp.ing dow verbenas, poppyheads and clove scente' clusters of pinks, with something hell tenderly in her hands, while her spark ling, tear-drenched eyes and the vivi scarlet of her cheeks bctokened tha some extraordinary emotion had stirre, her soul.
 ''What have you got F asked Louise sharply. Bright bits of color-fea thers 2'
 tIt's--it's two beautiful bluebirds 1 sobbed Zaidee; "and my hummine bird-the hummlng-b bird havo fed an coaxed ever since it was a wee bit ( velvet down in its nest!"
 'Such a fuss about nothing!n sai Joe, tall lad of sixteen; "and Bi Beers is waiting to stuff and mount thel for me. l told her, Lou, that you ha sad you'd give me dollar if I'd shoe the blues and trap the humnling fellow but she won't believe me-"
 ooh, Louise" pleaded zaidee; "yo didn't--you never could!'
 "Such fuss to make about nothing repeated Louise, impatiently, stampir her foot. 'T must have birds for ID bonnet. Every one wears birds"
 "People arc cruel!' sobbed Zaidee-
 Savage! Oh, do so hate fashion al fashionable doings"
 "And as I can't afford to pay u prices that the milIiuers ask," languid added Louise, 'as long as papa keeps D allowance at such niggardly point, must just do the best I can. Alter a you silly Donna Quixota, what's a blu bird or two7-or miserable hummin! bird, that you could cover with tl palm of your handa Here's your dolla Joe. Have Bill Beers stuff and mou them as soon as he can. want to we them next week."
 "You shan't have themw cried Zaide 'My poor little murdered darlingl o anything--anything but fashionat womanI
 Louise, however, was waxing imI tient. With rapid step forward, s snatched the birds from Zaidee's hal : and gave them to Joe. who, vaulti over the fence, vanished straightaw 3 into the copses; and with an exceeding l great cry. the poor child sank on t l garden seat, and gave way to sobs a g tears.
 "Such sentimental nonsensem m,
 mured Louise, turning SCOT nfu'ly aw'